Furniture support



Nov. 3, 1936.

J. c. WARD, .1R

FURNITURE SUPPORT Filed Sept. 6, 1954 INVENTOR ATLRNEY@ Patented Nov. 3, V1956- PATENT OFFICE lFURNITURE SUPPORT John Carlton Ward, Jr., Rome, N. Y., assgnor,

by mesne assignments, to Burton-Dixie Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application September 6, 1934, Serial No. 742,928 eclaims. (c1. 16-33) This invention relates to furniture and more particularly to articles of furniture the use of which requires thefrequent moving thereof, but

which must be stationary when supporting a persons weight. For example, the movable member or section of a conventional type of studio bed is usually arranged to `form a couch or divan during the day, andwhen sogemployed to be positioned over and conceal a `second member or stationary section which is generally in the form of a low cot. When either or both members are to be used as beds `the movable member is rolled away from its position over the cot, whereupon both are available for sleeping purposes. For

- convenience it is essential that the movable member be easily and readily movable, yet it is apparent that when in use either as a couch or as a bed it must be stationary.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved supporting mechanism or foot for articles of furniture of the type set forth, so constructed and arranged as to automatically prevent movement when the furniture is under a load, while permitting easy rolling at a mere touch when unloaded.

A further object is to provide a supporting foot for articles of furniturewhich can be easily and cheaply manufactured from sheet metal by conventional tools and dies.

These and other objects which will be apparent to those skilled in this particular art are accomplished by the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one front foot and one rear foot constructed in accordance with one embodiment of this invention shown in connection with a piece of furniture such as the movable member of a studio bed, the frame of which is indicated generally by broken lines.

Fig. 2 is a View in elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1, the view being a section of the associated article of furnitureon the line k2---2 of Fig. 1, the article being indicated generally by broken lines.

Fig. 3 is a plan view partly in section of an improved form of yieldable castor mechanism form,- ing a part of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

The present invention comprises a supporting foot forarticles of manufacture, having a castor mechanism incorporated therein of such construction that the furniture is automatically held against movement when subjected tor a load, While being easily and conveniently rolled from one position to another when not supporting a load. `The foot is designed so that it can be cheaply and easily manufactured from sheet `5 `metal-of suitable gauge by conventional cutting and, bending operations without requiring special tools or dies. The metal is preferably so formed that the foot presents a smooth metallic face which can be decorated or ornamented in any desired manner by Vany suitable design so that the foot can be made an integral and pleasing part of the design of the furniture as a whole and harmonize therewith in color, period and the like.

The drawing illustrates the present invention as carried out in connection with diiferent forms of furniture feet, one a curved foot I0 for use, for example, at a front corner of a studio bed, and the other a foot II, having a flat face and adapted for use, for example, at the rear corner 2U of a studio bed.

With reference to the foot I0 with the curved face, it comprises abody portion having a vertical face I2 which may be shaped toany desired form such as the curved form illustrated in Fig. 1 and which may receive any suitable type of decoration or ornamentation. The foot is formed of metal and is provided with an integral upper supporting flange I3 which preferably extends from one end of the foot to the other but which may be narrowed somewhat intermediate its ends, as shown at IB in Fig. 1.

The rear foot II has a plane at wall I5 formed with an upper securing ange I6 for connection to the frame of the associated article of furniture and a rear flange Il for a similar purpose. The outer face of the wall I5 presents a surface which can be ornamented or colored for design purposes.

Each foot has incorporated as a part thereof a yieldable castor mechanism comprising a castor or roller It!V supported in a clevis I9 which is vertically movable in a guiding hasp or housing 2E! welded to the inner face of the foot. The castor clevis is pressed downwardly by a helical f spring 2| located between the top of the clevis and the flange I3, and surrounding a stud 22 riveted to the ange I3 and extending through an opening 23 to the interior of the clevis above the castor I8 where a head 2d is adapted to engage the periphery of the castor I8 when the furniture is subjected to a load, so as to prevent movement of the furniture.

Each end oi th'e foot Ill and the inner end ofV the :foot I I is formed on the line of a symmetrical ogee curve to facilitate manufacture and simplify the shearing operation.

The springs 2| on the various castor mechanisms are of such strength as to raise the associated article of furniture for support thereon and to lift the stud heads 23 out of engagement With the castors I8 when no one is sitting on the furniture, see Figs. 2, 4 and 5. Under such conditions the furniture is easily movable at a mere touch by rolling on the castors. However, when the furniture is subjected to body weight the springs 2| are compressed and the stud heads 24 move downwardly into engagement with the castor surfaces acting as brakes and preventing any movement of the furniture. With the parts in this position a rigid unyielding support is provided by the castor and stud.

It will be apparent that the present invention can be variously modified and adaptedwithin the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An article of manufacture comprising in combination a foot for articles of furniture including a bracket member, a castor mechanism mounted on said bracket member and including a brake for preventing rolling of said castor mechanism, and spring means for supporting said bracket member on said 'castor with said brake out of engagement therewith to permit rolling on said castor, said means being adapted to yield under load to permit said brake to engage said castor and prevent rolling thereof.

2. An article of manufacture comprising in combination a foot for articles of furniture including a bracket member, a castor mechanism mounted on the inner face of said bracket member including a castor-holding vertically movable clevis, means for guiding the vertical movement of said clevis, a brake for said castor, and a spring for supporting said bracket member on said clevis with said brake in inoperative position to permit rolling on said castor, said spring Vsaid castor with said stud out of engagement therewith so as to permit rolling on said castor, said means being adapted to yield under body weight to permit said stud to engage said castor and prevent rolling thereof. t

J. CARLTON WARD, JR. 

